


All The Stars Are Dead By Now

by itsalongwayup



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: 16-Year-Old Harry Styles, 18-Year-Old Louis Tomlinson, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - You've Got Mail Fusion, And a lot of mutual respect, Bully Louis, Bullying, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Football Player Liam Payne, Football | Soccer Player Louis Tomlinson, Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Internalized Homophobia, Liam Payne & Louis Tomlinson Friendship, M/M, Minor Original Character(s), Mutual Pining, Niall Horan & Harry Styles Friendship, Online Dating, Some Xarry, Some zarry, Zayn hangs with everybody, niall is the best
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:49:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23362000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsalongwayup/pseuds/itsalongwayup
Summary: Harry imagined his last year of high school very differently, but when the first day of the school year already starts off completely catastrophic there isn't much hope for the rest of the year.Either way, Harry never thought that1) more than one guy would be in love with him2) his bully might not be as bad as he always thought and3) the school's new LGBTQ theatre play would change lives.___________Or the ultimate enemies to lovers fic.With some mutual pining, falling in love with the absolutely wrong person and a dating app that just makes everything way more complicated than anticipated.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 5
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There is going to be a fair amount of slurs and homophobic language. So, if you're sensitive to that, this ff might be not for you.  
> There will also be some violence, even though I'll try to keep it to a minimum. 
> 
> Other than that I hope you have fun reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just FYI I’ll try and update every week
> 
> Lots of love xxx

**September 14 th**

It’s the first day of school after the summer holidays and Harry is standing in the hallway is head buried in his locker. He didn’t clean it out before the holidays started so he was more or less forced to do it now. To his annoyance, he dug up a lunchbox that still contained the remains of an unfinished sandwich. Maybe he should have cleaned out the locker before that sandwich could rot in there for almost two months, but now it was too late anyway. Suddenly the locker door was slammed into Harry’s shoulder, hard.

“Shit, here we go again.” Harry thought to himself.

“Had nice summer holidays, fag?”

Harry removed his head from his locker and looked at the guy who stood now in front of him. Louis Tomlinson hadn’t changed at all over the summer. Except his hair had gotten slightly longer, he was tanned, and his freckles were more pronounced. Not that Harry noticed. What had remained the same however was Louis’ attitude towards Harry.

“Yes,” Harry replied unimpressed.

“Did you miss me? I bet you did. I bet you thought of me every single day and wished I would fuck your pathetic arse.”

“If you were the last man on earth, I would not let you fuck me.”

“Gotten brave over the summer, have we? Well, I’ll teach you your lesson soon enough.” Something flashed in Louis’ blue eyes. Slowly he crowded Harry against his locker until they stood flushed against each other, Harry's back pressed uncomfortably against the locker next to his own.

In hindsight, Harry had to admit it had been a stupid idea to go to school earlier to clean out his overflowing locker because that meant the halls were deserted and no one in sight to come and help him. For the second time on this day, he regretted his laziness on the last day of school.

“Now, I know your mummy always packs you a nice little lunch,” Harry tried frantically to avoid Louis' intense gaze, “but fat, little babies like you shouldn’t eat that much, don’t you think?”

Harry still didn’t meet Louis' eyes. He hated this. The last two years had always been the same routine. Harry got up ten minutes earlier to prepare himself lunch for school (yes, Harry made his own school lunch, not his mum like Louis seemed to think) only for it to be taken away by Louis.

Harry once tried to just not bring any lunch but that had only ended in Louis emptying the entire contents of his backpack and his locker in the hallway and setting one of his schoolbooks on fire. As a warning, he had said, Harry should make sure his mum always packed him lunch. Bringing two lunches, one for himself and one for Louis hadn’t worked either. Louis just took both of them. And so, Harry continued to get up ten minutes earlier just to make lunch for Louis.

This time, however, Harry had an idea: The half-eaten and completely mouldy sandwich in his locker. Technically it would have been Louis’ anyway, but that day Louis hadn’t turned up to school, so it was left to be eaten by Harry.

When Harry handed Louis the lunchbox wordlessly, he knew he was going to get something back for this but right now that seemed worth it.

“Good boy!” Louis grinned. “I know you’ve got something else in there too.” He held his hand out.

Harry huffed. “Not my Curly Wurlys.”

Louis’ grin just broadens as he shoves his hand into Harry's chest. Pouting Harry grabs his backpack from his locker and pulls the two Curly Wurly's out, which Louis immediately takes from him.

When Louis moves to turn around and leave, Harry shouts, to his own surprise “I also have an apple.”

Louis smiles at him but still somehow manages to look evil “You know, I’m in a good mood today and school just started. You may keep your apple. This time.”

“Oi, Tomlinson” Harry snaps his head around to see who’s yelling, but his still open locker door obstructs his view. He recognises the voice, nevertheless.

“Why don’t you go bully someone your own size? Like a dwarf or a goblin.” Niall says.

“You… You better watch out, you little friend of a fag.”

“I see, your insults haven’t gotten any more creative over the summer. Not that that would surprise me.”

“Watch your mouth, you dirty little…” Harry and Niall never learned what a dirty little thing Niall was exactly because Louis was interrupted by Liam.

“Tommo, I was looking for you,” Liam said, wrapping his arm around Louis' shoulders. “Let’s go. They’re not worth it.”

Louis seems reluctant to leave at first but eventually lets himself be stirred away by Liam, not without throwing Harry a last hateful look.

As soon as Louis and Liam have rounded the corner, Harry visibly relaxes.

“Hey, Niall.”

“Harry!” Niall beams, throwing himself in Harry's outstretched arms.

Since Niall had moved to Cheshire a year ago Harry's life had improved enormously. For some reason, Niall hadn’t minded befriending Harry even if that meant he was going to be an outsider as well.

It wasn’t as if Harry hadn’t had any friends, but they just weren’t really close friends. People liked to keep their distance from him out of fear they would get bullied by Louis and his mates too. Niall, however, didn’t mind. He got along with everybody, even with some of Louis’ ‘popular’ friends. And still, it seemed he wanted Harry as his best friend and Harry didn’t mind.

“What was that just now?”

“You know, the usual,” Harry answered.

“The usual. Harry, don’t you see how fucked up this is? Louis is tormenting you every single day since when?”

“Year 10.” Harry supplied. Year 10 had been the one fateful year that marked Harry's downfall and the beginning of his torment at the hands of Louis Tomlinson. It had been the first day of school, just like today, and a new student was introduced. A new student with piercing blue eyes and feathery brown hair, that went by the name of Louis William Tomlinson. These days Harry would never admit it, but this new student might have been Harry's first real crush. And because of that Harry selflessly offered the empty seat next to him, to Louis. Again, in hindsight a quite terrible decision.

First Louis seemed nice enough, he was older than Harry by two years because he had to repeat the year, but as the months went by Louis became ruder and meaner towards Harry. He befriended the guys from his footie team and never really talked to Harry again. Now Harry wished it would have just stayed this way.

In the beginning, Louis just made fun of Harry, threw paper balls at him or shoved him in the hallway but as time went by the insults got worse and the shoving became punching. When Harry came out as gay early last year it got worse, even if Harry wasn’t sure how that was possible.

“He’s been harassing you since year 10. How can you let him? You’re way taller than him. Just punch that sucker square in the face. He deserves it. He’s such a dick, who does he even think he is? Just cos he’s older and plays footie. Hey, Harry are you even listening?”

“Yeah,” Harry replied automatically, even though he hadn’t been listening. “How were your summer holidays?”

“Sick, mate! You know we went back to Ireland and man I can tell you it was so great to see me mates again and to catch up. Not that you’re not enough or something but you know. T’was just good to see ‘em again.” Niall just continued rambling unaware of anything else.

The school halls were filled with chatting students by now, everyone was happy to see their friends after the summer. And even Harry felt a little bit relieved to be back.

“Niall, do you think I’m fat?”

“No? Why would you think that?”

“I don’t know. Just thought maybe I’d gotten, you know, chubbier over the summer.” Harry said shrugging.

“How was your summer anyway?” Niall suddenly asked, eyebrows wiggling.

“Good.”

“How good exactly?”

“Pretty good.”

“Pretty as in pretty men?”

“God, Niall you’re embarrassing.”

“I know that. It’s one of my best traits. Come on, don’t let me down.”

“Fine,” Harry said rolling his eyes. “I’ve met a guy on Grindr.”

“No, you haven’t!” Niall squealed delighted and hit Harry’s arm. “Tell me all about him! What’s his name? Does he look good? Does he have a big dick? Have you shaged him yet?”

“Niall!” Harry exclaims “Shut up! Oh my god, everyone can hear you!”

“How was the sex?” Niall whispers.

“I didn’t sleep with him; we haven’t even met yet. But yes, he does look good. His name is Xander and he’s nineteen.” Harry supplies quietly. Even quieter he adds “And he has a big penis.”

“I thought you didn’t meet him!”

“I didn’t.” Harry blushes, “He sent me a picture.”

“Oh, my sweet young Harry. I still remember when you shat your diapers and now, you’re out there getting dick pics.”

“Haha, very funny Niall!” Harry made a face at his best friend. He definitely had missed him. A lot.

“I’ve got to get to class. See you at lunch break?”

“Yeah, sure.” Harry had to go to class too anyway.

Harry entered the psychology classroom and immediately spied Ed sitting by the window. The seat next to him was still unoccupied. He made his way to the end of the room towards Ed.

“That seat still free?”

“Sure! Sit down.”

“Thanks.” Harry let himself fall on the chair.

“Hey, you’re gonna do theatre this year again?”

“I… Uh, yeah? Why?”

“Cool. Just curious.”

After a short silence, Ed spoke again. “Ya know, I’ve heard they wanna do a gay play.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool.”

“Yeah.”

Silence fell between the boys again. Meanwhile, the classroom filled with more and more students.

Harry knew Ed from the school’s theatre course. They weren’t exactly friends but still more than acquaintances. However, that didn’t mean they had much to talk about. After a while of uncomfortable silence, Harry spoke up again “You’re doing theatre this year again?”

“Sure,” Ed answered.

Harry’s answer was cut short by the arrival of the teacher and for once Harry was happy to see Miss Gallagher.

“Good Morning!”

“Morning.” Everyone answered in unison.

“And now: If you all would get up, take your things and stand by the door.”

Nobody moved.

“Come on. Up. Get a move on. I’m doing the seating arrangement this year. And before anyone complains: You’re going to be seated according to your last name.”

Finally, people started to move and slowly pack their things back into their backpacks. Harry caught Zayn’s eye across the room who gave him an encouraging nod. Zayn was one of the few people who were genuinely unimpressed by Louis Tomlinson’s schemes, but then again Zayn seemed to be unimpressed by almost everything. Therefore, it struck Harry as a little strange that Zayn would acknowledge him in any way, but he didn’t think much of it.

Just when Harry had packed everything the classroom door opened and, to Harry’s immense disdain, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne strolled inside.

“Sorry, we’re late. We had a meeting with our coach.” Liam explained with an apologising smile.

Zayn again caught Harry’s gaze and rolled his eyes overdramatically.

“Well, you’re right on time. I’ll assign you a seat in just a minute.”

After everyone had squeezed to the front of the room, Harry had tried to keep as much distance from Louis as possible, Miss Gallagher got the attendance list out.

“I’ll start here.” She pointed to the table next to the window in the first row. “And we’ll begin with A. Well, more like B. Hannah Baker, please. Perrie Edwards next to Hannah. On the next table Elisabeth…” Harry drowned out his teacher's voice. Until she arrives at S for Styles it will take a while.

Ed’s last name was Sheeran so maybe if he’s lucky he just ends up next to him again. Harry was lost in his thoughts as more students took their newly assigned seats, all of them with varying degrees of excitement.

“…Malik.” Zayn made his way to his table in the third row, his expression unreadable. “Liam Payne, take a seat next to Zayn please.” Liam punched Louis’ shoulder one last time and went to sit down next to Zayn.

Miss Gallagher was nearly through with all the students now. Only Harry, Ed, Louis, two girls and another boy by the name of Frank remained.

“Grace Reiner. And Edward Sheeran.”

Ed looked sadly at Harry. “Sorry, mate.” He said and moved past Harry to take his seat next to Grace.

‘Well, so much to Ed and me sitting next to each other.’ Harry thought bitterly.

“Harry Styles, if you would please take your new seat.” Miss Gallagher said. “And next to you…”

‘No, no, no, no, no!’ Suddenly Harry’s blood went cold. ‘Not Tomlinson.’ He thought or prayed more like.

“Louis Tomlinson.”

Harry felt ready to cry as he made his way to the back of the classroom. Not Louis, please not him. How would he survive an entire year sitting next to his arch-enemy?

Harry wordlessly sat down his eyes trained on the floor in front of his table. He heard how Louis sat down next to him, and how he moved his chair, so he sat as far as possible from Harry.

“Now if you all would open your books.” Miss Gallagher announced as soon as everyone had sat down. “You too Harry. Or do you need an extra invitation?”

“No, I’m sorry.” Harry scrambled to get his book out of his backpack, his fingers slightly shaking.

“We’re reading pages 200-205. And before anyone complains; I will not do a repetition from what we’ve done last year, if you don’t remember it, it is your own responsibility to repeat topics. You’re old enough by now. If you’ve read the pages, you’ll discuss exercise three and four with your neighbour.”

‘That’s not gonna happen.’ Harry thought to himself and tried to concentrate on the reading assignment as well as possible.

About twenty minutes later most tables had started discussing the exercises. Harry still forced himself to ignore Louis. That became much more difficult when Louis put his hand on Harry’s thigh and squeezed. Hard.

“You like that, don’t you?” Louis whispered just loud enough for Harry to hear. “Like it when I touch you.” He gripped Harry’s thigh even tighter.

‘What is that guys deal with me wanting to be touched by him?” Harry questioned himself, still trying to ignore Louis and his hand.

“You want me to bruise your fat ugly thighs while I shag you.”

“Sounds more like what you want to do to me.” Harry blurts out and immediately regrets it. With his hands clasped over his mouth, Harry stares at Louis waiting for a reaction.

Louis gives Harry’s thigh one last really hard, really painful squeeze before he lets go and turns his head to look at Harry.

“You disgusting, little fag.” He hisses, “I am straight, I am normal, I am not sick. I would never shag a guy. And if you want to survive this school year, you’ll follow my rules.”

Harry just nods. He would never admit it, but Louis’ words stung. The pain over his insults had dulled over the years but sometimes in moments like this, they still hurt.

The rigging of the bell luckily saved Harry from more insults. Before Harry could recover his wits, Louis had already packed his bag and rushed out of the room, not without throwing Harry’s pencil case to the floor. Normally, such behaviour was way too childish even for Louis. He also hadn’t waited for Liam as per usual. Not that that was any of Harry’s business, but it was odd, nonetheless.

Harry slowly got up and started to pick up his pencils, which were scattered all across the room. When he made a grab for his favourite pink pen someone beat him to it. Looking up Harry saw Zayn kneeling in front of him holding his pen and about five other pens out to him.

“Thanks.” Harry managed to say, confused by Zayn’s nice behaviour.

“Sure. Hey, Tomlinson’s a twat. Don’t let him get to ya.”

“Yeah, I know. I mean, I’ll try.”

Zayn got up and made his way towards the door. Before he left, he turned around one last time and said “I like your hair by the way. It suits you.” With that, he exited the room leaving a confused Harry behind.

The second period of the day was, to Harry’s immense relief, utterly and totally uneventful. It was maths and as expected incredibly boring. Niall had a different maths course and Louis seemed to be in another course as well.

Harry only had a short talk with Perrie about her summer holidays (three weeks in the Caribbean and a weekend in Paris) and his own summer (boring, six weeks at home). Other than that, nothing happened, luckily or maybe unluckily. Because of the lack of engagement, Harry kept thinking back to Louis' strong hand on his thigh. Maybe, there was a tiny possibility Louis actually had been right when he said Harry liked it when he was touching him. Not that Harry would ever admit such thoughts, to himself or anyone else for that matter.

Harry tried to push those thoughts from his mind and concentrate on his math exercises. When this didn’t work, he gave up and dug his phone from his pocket. Mr Smith wouldn’t care. He sat on his desk and read a book, not even acknowledging any of his students. Sometimes Harry questioned how effective his teaching was, but right now he didn’t mind.

When he unlocked his phone, Harry was happy to find that Xander had already sent him a message on Grindr.

_Xander: How’s the first day of school going?_

_Ed: Boring! I hate school. I’m glad when this is all over. How’s work?_

Harry spent a short moment staring at his profile picture. It wasn’t a picture of him but rather of a random guy Harry had found on the internet. His name also wasn’t his name. It was in a way but not really. When Harry had created the account, he didn’t want his friends or classmates to find out he was on Grinder. That and he also wasn’t officially old enough to use the app. However, in an effort to disguise his identity he used said picture from google and the short form of his second name, Edward.

When Xander and Harry discussed meeting in person for the first time Harry realised the flaws in his plan. To Harry’s surprise Xander was rather understanding and after they had face-timed, he even said, he was happy Harry wasn’t the guy from the picture and his name wasn’t really Ed. When Harry asked why that is Xander only replied: “Because the reality is even more beautiful.”

That night Harry fell asleep imagining what it would be like if Xander was his actual real-life boyfriend.

Xander was currently interning at the local newspaper because he still wasn’t sure what he wanted to become. But at the moment he was inclined to study journalism, maybe with English or Criminology as a minor. To Harry all that sounded incredibly cool and grown-up, he still had to spend one whole year in school, and he hated every minute of it. Well, nearly every minute.

At least Xander was always quick to reply.

_Xander: I feel you. I used to hate school too. I’m glad, I’m done with it._

_Xander: Work is boring too. But soon I might be allowed to write my own column about music. Till then I’m on duck duty._

_Ed: DUCK DUTY?!?!_

_Xander: Duck duty *quack quack* There is a meeting of duck breeders and I have to report on that._

_Ed: Haha, that might just be worse than maths._

_Xander: Possible…_

_Xander: Hey, Harry… When can we finally meet?_

_Xander: I want to see you. Not just in pictures._

_Xander: Even though I also like seeing pictures of you. Immensely ;)_

_Ed: Soon. I want to see you in person too. :)_

When lunchtime finally rolled around Harry and Xander had agreed to meet on Saturday in two weeks. Happy about the prospect of finally meeting his Grinder crush Harry made his way to the school canteen, where he was immediately greeted by Niall’s loud voice and the smell of food.

“Harry! Over here!” Niall frantically waved his arm in the air, nearly hitting the girl next to him.

Harry quickly made his way over, dumped his jacket and backpack on the seat opposite Niall, and sat down himself.

“Not gonna buy yourself some food?”

“Not today Niall, not today.”

“Uh… did Tomlinson forget to steal it from you or…?”

“Nope, he didn’t forget. He just forgot to check what I gave him.”

“Did you wrap a brick in sandwich paper?”

“Better.”

“Did you hit him with a brick?”

“Niall!” Harry exclaimed with false shock. “Not that good.”

“Okay, tell me then!”

“I gave him the sandwich box that I forgot in my locker before the holidays.”

“You gave him an empty sandwich box?” Niall laughed.

“Well. It’s not empty. He’s gonna wish it was though.”

Niall was red in the face by now and had trouble squeezing out the words. “You didn’t… give... a sandwich… from… July…”

“Oh yes, I did,” Harry said snickering.

Suddenly Niall started scanning the crowd of pupils in the seating area.

“This is gonna be golden. I need to see his face when he realises.”

Harry and Niall could spy Louis through the canteen sitting with some of his football mates. Apparently, he hadn’t touched the sandwich box yet.

While they were eating, they continued to watch Louis from their seats, waiting for him to discover the ruse. Finally, all of Louis’ friends had assembled on the table and Louis saw it fit to start eating too. Niall and Harry waited with bated breath. Then the entire table of Louis’ friends erupted in laughter. Everyone except Louis. He looked positively livid as he threw the sandwich box against the wall. His face had turned an unhealthy shade of red-ish purple, and he searched the room with an insane stare. Then his eyes fell on Harry and his face turned a little redder if that was even possible. Harry just stared back, like a deer caught in the headlights.

“RUN!” screamed Niall.

Suddenly, Harry was moving, running through the canteen into the hallway. Away from Louis.

Just when Harry started to feel he brought a safe distance between himself and Louis, a body forcefully collided with his. Together Louis and Harry tumbled to the ground. Harry tried to get out from under Louis, but he only managed to turn around and found himself face to face with his pursuer. Louis still looked angry, but there was also something else in his eyes.

They struggled against each other Louis still on top of Harry keeping him in check. He was much stronger than he looked, Harry had to give him that. However, that was Harry’s ill luck. After some more struggling and a well-aimed kick in Harry’s balls, Louis managed to pin his wrists above his head.

‘In another situation,’ Harry thought, ‘that might be kind of hot.’ Shocked by his own thoughts he tried one last time to escape Louis’ iron grip. But Harry was out of luck and quite frankly also out of breath. Louis didn’t seem to be much better off though. He was heavily panting, lying on top of Harry with all his weight pressing down on him. He was also heavier that he seemed Harry noticed.

“You,” Louis pressed out between heavy breaths.

“Me,” Harry said stupidly.

Harry is so close to Louis he could count the tiny freckles on his cheek. Louis stares directly into Harry’s eyes, the anger seemingly evaporated now. Suddenly Louis’ glace flickers to Harry’s lips only to immediately meet his eye again. And for a short moment, Harry thinks that the unreadable look in Louis’ eye might be lust.

But then that moment his gone and Harry feels a painful stinging in his jaw.

“You hit me! You hit me in the face!”

“And I’ll do it again if you ever pull such a nasty trick on me a second time. That was just a warning.” With that, he got off Harry.

By now Harry could hear the voices of people coming from the direction of the canteen. Obviously, they had been followed by their classmates, hoping to see a show.

As a parting gift, Louis kicked the still on the floor lying Harry in his side and then made a bolt for it.

By the time Niall arrived and kneeled down next to an in pain squirming Harry, Louis was gone. Niall and Zayn, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air, helped Harry up.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, he let me off easy.” Harry tried to laugh.

“That doesn’t look like it.” Concern lacing Niall’s voice.

Niall supporting Harry on his right and Zayn on his left side, they made their way back to the canteen, after all, they still had their bags and jackets there.

Zayn sat down with them as if he’d sat there all along.

“Let me see!” he said to Harry, taking his head in his hands carefully.

“That’s gonna bruise,” Zayn said with a matter of fact voice.

“Thought so.”

“Let me see your side too.” He already started to fumble with Harry’s shirt.

“No, it’s… it’s alright.” Harry said swatting Zayn’s hands away.

“What’s Louis problem with you? He never bullied anyone but you, right?” Niall chipped in.

“He does. He sometimes roughs up some first years or one of the nerds.”

“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah,” Niall made a dismissive gesture with his hand, “but not like that.”

Harry knew Niall was right, he was the only one Louis tormented with unwavering energy for years.

“If you asked me,” Zayn said, “it’s internalised homophobia.”

“Nobody asked you though Zayn.”

“Niall! Don’t be rude.”

“What do you mean Zayn?” Harry asked turning to face Zayn.

He only shrugs. “I think he likes you. And I think he hates himself for it.”

“No fucking way.”

“Louis Tomlinson gay?”

“No fucking way,” Harry said again.

“Why not?” Niall asked.

“He can’t be. He said he’s straight, just today in psychology.” When he had his hand on your thigh and asked if you like it: a nasty voice in the back of Harry’s head supplied. But he couldn’t be, could he?

“No,” Harry repeated, more to convince himself now.

“Hey, I gotta leave now,” Zayn said, getting up from his seat next to Harry. “Make sure to put some ice on your bruises as soon as you can and rub some lotion on them.”

“Thanks, Zayn.”

“Yeah, thanks Zayn,” Niall said with obvious disdain. Zayn, however, didn’t seem to notice or maybe he just didn’t care.

As soon as Zayn was out of sight, Harry snapped at Niall “Jeez, Niall no need to be rude. He was just trying to be nice.”

“He was just trying to shag you and now get a move on or we’re going to be late for class. Are you sure you don’t want to get those bruises checked out?”

“What? You think Zayn wants to sleep with me?”

“That’s what you gathered from this? Really? When have you developed a dick fixation?”

“I have not developed a fixation on penises.”

“Oh my god, Harry. Who says penis? Why don’t you say dick or cock or knob or anything but penis?”

“Shut up Niall!” Harry laughed.

They continued to bicker all the way to the classroom and only stopped when their English teacher called for silence.

“I forgot to tell you something. Two things, actually.” Harry whispers to Niall. They were currently in the middle of discussing the women in Shakespeare and should write down the name and role of as many women from his plays as possible.

“I have to sit next to Louis in psychology and I’m going to meet Xander next Saturday.”

“You what now?”

“I’m meeting Xander next Saturday.”

“Harry. The Louis part.”

“Right, yeah. Miss Gallagher did the seating arrangement and Tomlinson comes immediately after Styles.”

“What? That’s impossible.”

“No, Niall. That’s the alphabet.”

“I mean, you can’t sit next to Louis for an entire year. Did you try talking to Miss Gallagher?”

“No, that would be pointless. I don’t think she would let me sit somewhere else.”

“Did Louis try to talk to her?” Niall inquired further

“No.”

“Maybe Zayn could be right after all.”

Harry shrugged. “Speaking of Zayn. Why were you so rude to him back in the canteen?”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Why?”

“Are you seriously asking that?”

“Yeah,” Harry answered confused.

“I thought you lived here all your life. You should know the town gossip better than me.”

“I have but… what does that have to do with your dislike against Zayn?”

Before Niall could answer Mr Cordon called for silence and their discussion was cut short.

Five minutes later however Niall slipped Harry a note saying: He used to be mates with Louis.

Louis and Zayn had been friends? Harry racked his brain but couldn’t recall a single time he’d seen them hang out together, apart from the times they had stood in the smoker’s corner having a smoke. He never thought much of that though, Zayn was known to not pledge any alliances and usually hung out with everybody. It worked for him. He was a bit of a loner but if he wanted to spend time with people, he had the freedom of choice.

Last year he had mainly spent time with his girlfriend Perrie and her friends. But shortly before the summer holidays began, they broke up, for reasons unknown to Harry. The end of their relationship had sent half of the school into a frenzy. One could have thought David and Victoria Beckham broke up.

Harry couldn’t wait for this day to end. He felt as if more had happened in the first day of school than in the entire last school year.

“Hopefully the next couple of days would be less exciting than today,” Harry thought.

Before Niall and Harry got another chance to discuss Zayn’s and Louis’ alleged friendship the lesson was over, and Mr Cordon dismissed the class. Because Niall’s last lesson of the day was sports, they couldn’t even get into detail afterwards.

“See ya tomorrow.”

“Yeah, have fun running up and down,” Harry replied.

Niall just flipped him the bird and left the room in a hurry to get to his lesson in time. After all, being late on the first day is never good. Unless you are Louis Tomlinson, star of the school’s football team, then you could get away with almost everything. Precisely that was also the reason why Louis so rarely got in trouble for bullying people, more specifically for bullying Harry. Also their classmates didn’t like to rant Louis out, out of fear he would make their life living hell.

The rest of the day was incredibly boring and for once Harry was thankful for that. Xander hadn’t texted him back, he was probably working. Harry still wished he could talk to him. Saturday in two weeks couldn’t come fast enough. While Harry was excited about the meeting he was also scared. Would Xander still like him after having seen him in real life? Would they have enough things to talk about? Would they maybe even kiss? What if he didn’t like the way Harry kisses? Harry had never kissed a boy much less a man before. He used to have a girlfriend when he was 14 and they obviously had kissed but eventually they broke up after only four months. Not because Harry suddenly had an epiphany about his sexual orientation but because they were young, and their relationship hadn’t worked out exactly how they imagined it.

It took Harry still one more year, until he was fifteen, to figure out he actually would much rather kiss boys than girls. And for some insane reason, he thought he had to announce that to the entire school. Actually, it hadn’t really happened entirely on purpose. A girl named Eleanor asked him if he wanted to go out with her and even after he politely refused multiple times she still wouldn’t let go of the topic. To finally get her off his back Harry just straight up told her: “I’m gay.”

To Harry’s (and Niall’s) immense surprise that still didn’t convince her. She accused Harry of lying and said if he wouldn’t tell her the truth, she would tell the whole school he is gay. Even now almost a year after the incident Harry still doesn’t understand her reasoning behind her threat.

However, Harry didn’t want her to take his coming out from him and so he decided, under the impulse of the moment, to climb on one of the tables in the canteen and announce his sexual orientation to everyone present. He still remembers the moment as if it was yesterday. Everyone went absolutely dead silent and then Louis Tomlinson dropped his meal tray loudly rattling on the floor. It was glorious. Sadly, everything that came after wasn’t. 

For one he got detention for standing on the canteen table (at least the teacher congratulated him on his coming out) and then there was Louis Tomlinson. If Harry had thought the bullying was bad before, it got to a whole new level afterwards.

When detention was over Harry walked out of the school, texting Niall who wanted to know how bad detention was, and suddenly came face to face with his arch-enemy.

“So, you’re a poof? I should have known all along. That’s probably why you disgust me so much. Cos you’re a disgusting faggot!”

“Go away!”

But Louis didn’t think of leaving Harry alone.

“How dare you speak to me?”

“Fuck off Louis. I’ve never done anything to you, just leave me alone.”

“Did you just insult me? Are we getting brave? Nobody is here to save you now. Not your little Irish friend and not one of your gal pals. I bet you always sit at home with them and you paint each other’s nails and you wear their clothes...”

“I’m gay, Tomlinson, not cross-dressing,” Harry rolled his eyes

“You’re a disgusting queer. That’s what you are. Sick. A disgusting fag who likes it up the arse.”

Harry never told anyone, but the things Louis had said to him that day had hurt. More than he cared to admit. They still hurt now when he thought back to the incident. The insults were maybe even more painful than the punches Louis threw at him immediately afterwards.

The first punch Louis threw surprised Harry so much that he immediately went to the floor. But that didn’t stop Louis. He threw himself on Harry and kept punching him, throwing insults at him in time with every new hit.

Harry went home bruised, with a torn shirt and crying. His sister was there and took care of him. She called their mum who got Louis suspended for two weeks. If it wasn’t for his family and Niall Harry wouldn’t have known how to survive this time. 

But it got better. Harry got better. Eventually he fully came to terms with his sexuality. Never mind what Louis Tomlinson said, he wasn’t disgusting.

Louis himself mostly kept a save distance from Harry for the first months that followed after his suspension only later in the year he resumed his bullying. But he never beat Harry up ever again. He maybe punched Harry once or twice but never again like that. And so, they continued their feud.

When Harry came home after school, he was still nervous about his nearing date with Xander and he also had a lot of homework. Standing in the kitchen he quickly ate a toast and went to his room to tackle the English and Maths assignments.

“It should be illegal to give homework on the first day of school,” Harry thought. But he also didn’t want to fall behind before the year had even properly started so he really didn’t have any choice. 

Anne, Harry’s mum, came home at around eight in the evening and they had dinner. Harry told her about his day, even though he avoided telling her about his run-in with Louis. She talked about work and her new colleague who had her first day in the hospital today.

Even though Harry loved his mum and genuinely enjoyed talking to her he was glad when they were done eating, and he could excuse himself and disappear upstairs into his room.

After having brushed his teeth and changed into pyjamas Harry even managed to have a short text conversation with Niall about his gym class (exhausting, they played football as per usual) and Harry’s History lesson (boring, he didn’t pay any attention). They agreed to meet the next day in front of the school since they both had the same class.

Xander, however, still hadn’t texted back and Harry now started to worry. What if he regretted agreeing to go on a date? What if, what if –

Before Harry could finish his thought, he had already fallen asleep, his bedside lamp still on and his phone in his hand.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, Chapter 2 is here! Thanks to anyone who's read the story so far and left kudos (or not). 
> 
> I've decided to update every Sunday from now on. But I'm also currently writing my bachelor thesis so bear with me in case I'm a day late once in a while. 
> 
> Other than that: have fun reading and tell me what you think (if you like). 
> 
> All the love xx.

**September 15 th**

The sound of his alarm woke Harry from his peaceful sleep. His mum must have come in before she went to bed last night because the bedside lamp has been turned off and his phone now lies next to Harry’s ear on his nightstand.

5:50 reads the time on his phone. Harry is inclined to turn off the alarm and go back to sleep for another ten minutes, that is until he remembers the sandwich incident from the day before. He definitely should make lunch for Louis this time.

Stretching his arms above his head Harry gets out of bed. Since he fell asleep early the night before he forgot to pick out clothes. When he finally found an outfit, he liked and felt comfortable in he was threatening to run late. He quickly washed his face and brushed his teeth. There was no time to wrap a scarf around his head, so his curls would have to fall freely into his face for the day. Before the summer holidays, Harry had decided to grow his hair out and over the summer it had gotten to a point where it was too long to be styled properly and too short to tie up. To cover up that awkward stage Harry usually used a scarf to keep his hair out of his eyes. For today, however, he had to live with hair falling into his face constantly.

When Harry got to the kitchen, he had exactly ten minutes left to make breakfast and to pack Louis’ lunch. Over the years he had made his mom believe his favourite kind of toast was the cheapest the supermarket sold. If he couldn’t eat the toast himself, he could at least make sure Louis got the worst quality.

A toast with butter in his hand Harry hurriedly left the house to be at school in time to meet Niall.

“Harry!”

“Morning.” Niall seemed more than happy to see Harry, which was odd. That is not to say that Niall normally wasn’t happy to see Harry at school but today he seemed properly excited.

“What? What happened? What have you done?” Harry asked.

“Nothing, why would you think that?”

“You’re way too happy to see me.”

“M’ not.”

“Okay, you’re not happy to see me.”

They made their way inside the school, Niall practically floating alongside Harry.

“Okay, fine. I didn’t want to tell you over text yesterday. Our sports teacher asked me to join the football team this year.”

“Wow! Niall that’s great!”

Niall had missed the tryouts to be in the footie team the year before because he had started school a week later than everyone else due to some delay in the move from Ireland to Cheshire. Since then Niall always wanted to be on the team. Harry had secretly been happy Niall had missed the try-outs the previous year. Otherwise, Louis probably would have corrupted Niall before they could have become friends. 

“You’re not mad, are you? Because…you know…?”

“No. No, not at all. I’m really happy for you. I know how much you wanted to be on the footie team.”

“Good.” Niall seemed even more overjoyed now that he was sure Harry wasn’t upset about his opportunity.

They just rounded the corner to Harry’s locker only to find Louis leaning against it already.

“Oh no,” Harry thought. He really didn’t want to deal with the person he hated most that early in the morning.

Harry thought about just turning around and heading to the classroom without dumping his stuff in the locker but before he could make a decision Louis had already spotted them. Now Harry couldn’t turn around, at least not without seeming as if he were scared.

Louis just smiled at Harry and Niall. If you wouldn’t have known any better you could think Louis is one of their friends waiting for them before the lesson starts or maybe Harry’s boyfriend waiting to kiss him before they go to separate classes. Harry however knew better. That guy who was casually leaning against Harry’s locker in his usual tight black trousers and black vans was only there to annoy Harry, to bully him and to humiliate him. And that before the day even had started. Harry was so done with Louis' bullshit.

When Harry reached his locker, he tried to shoo Louis away without acknowledging him.

“Ahhh, no, no, no. Not without payment.” Louis said, still smiling and holding his hand out towards Harry. He seemed in a suspiciously good mood today.

Harry pulled a brown paper bag from his backpack and shoved it in Louis’ chest, ignoring the outstretched hand.

“Rude,” Louis commented and peeked into the paper bag. “It’s a shame I now have to check what you give me.” He chuckled.

By now Harry was genuinely creeped out by Louis’ behaviour but tried to hide it. However, Louis still hadn’t moved from his spot in front of Harry’s locker and so Harry tried to shoo him away a second time.

“I bet you have an apple with you.”

Slowly but surely Louis made Harry really, really angry but he was determined not to talk to him and ignore him as best as possible. Angrily Harry also pulled the apple from his school bag handing it to the other with as much force as possible.

Niall watched the exchange with a displeased expression, but he knew better than to interfere. Firstly, because Harry didn’t appreciate it and secondly because it would only prompt Louis to get back at Harry with something else. And so, Niall settled for standing next to Harry and only intervening when it became absolutely necessary.

“Thank you, princess,” Louis said with a sugar-sweet voice. “Has anyone told you yet that you look like a fucking girl with that hair? Absolutely ridiculous.”

Harry still didn’t say a word and Louis didn’t show the slightest inclination to move.

“You know it’s rude not to answer someone.”

“It’s rude to bully someone,” Harry wanted to say but didn’t.

“Come on. Say good morning to me, princess.” With that Louis extended his hand and gripped Harry’s hair in a painfully tight grip and pulled.

“Owww,” Harry said.

“Say good morning,” Louis repeated.

“Hey,” said Niall.

“Good morning arsehole and now piss off.” Harry finally said.

“She can speak, will you look at that,” Louis said letting go of Harry’s hair. “I’d hit you for insulting me, but I don’t beat up girls.”

“Lucky me,” Harry said rolling his eyes.

As an answer Louis simply shoved Harry into the locker behind him, turning his attention to Niall.

“Niall Horan.”

“Louis Tomlinson.”

“I’ve always liked you, you know.”

“Well, I can’t say the same about you,” Niall replied, suspiciously narrowing his eyes. Something like that had never happened before. Neither Louis actively addressing Niall and much less being nice to him.

Louis laughed. It wasn’t even a humourless laugh. It was an actual, genuine, pleasant laugh. “Fair enough.” He said. “What I mean to say is: I like you and I’ve never understood why you would hang out with the gay loser if you could hang out with… say, me and my friends.”

“First of all, because Harry isn’t a knobhead and second what the hell is this fuckery? What do you want? Cos I sure as hell won’t suck your dick. Not literally and not figuratively.”

“Jeez, calm down Irish,” Louis said wrapping an arm around Niall. “M’ not a fag like certain other people.”

“Whatever you say, Tomlinson,” Niall said trying to slip out from underneath Louis arm.

“I’m trying to make you an offer here. You’re on the footie team now.” Louis threw a glance at Harry when he said that. Harry, however, had stowed his books in his locker and was now leaning against it, watching the odd interaction between his arch-enemy and his best friend take place. He was ready to step in at any moment but also curious how it would play out.

“You’re on the footie team now and that means you’ll have to see me a lot more. You could make it easier on all of us. Just be friends with me and the lads and we’ll even forgive you your momentary lapse in reason that has led you to befriend the fag.”

“No. Thank you. I’d rather have no friends than to ever be friends with you. And I’d choose Harry every day over you.” With that Niall ducked out from underneath Louis arm and grabbed Harry’s sleeve, pulling him away from the scene.

“You’re just in love with the fag!” Louis yelled after them.

“Jesus, what’s wrong with that guy… me being friends with him. Is he dumb? What the fuck. Fucking hell, can’t believe that. Can you? Cos, I can’t. What was that even?” Niall rambled while he kept pulling Harry along with him to the classroom. They were nearly late for the lesson.

“Niall!”

Niall kept rambling, not letting go of Harry.

“Niall! Stop!”

Niall skitted to a halt abruptly turning towards Harry.

“Thank you! That was really nice of you. To tell him off like that. That was… Thanks.”

“It’s nothing, petal,” Niall said pulling Harry into a hug.

They quickly let go of each other and hurried inside the room shortly before their teacher arrived.

“What was that you said yesterday about Zayn and Louis being friends?” Harry whispered to Niall after their French teacher was done with the introduction. The friends had managed to get seats in the farthest corner of the room away from the teacher and perfect to have a private chat.

“They used to be mates.”

“And…?”

“And now they’re not anymore.”

“That’s all?”

“Yeh, as far as I know.”

“But why aren’t they friends anymore?”

“The fuck should I know that. Ask Zayn.”

“I can’t ask Zayn that.”

“Then don’t. Anyway, I just think, the fact that they were friends proves that Zayn is no good. Why would any decent person wanna be friends with that twat?”

“Maybe he’s nice when you’re his friend. You could have found that out today.” Harry mussed.

“Yeh, thanks. Never. What was that about anyway?”

“Do I hear talking?” Mr Winston asked from the front.

Harry and Niall had no other choice as to postpone their talk about Louis’ intentions.

The next chance they got to resume their conversation was when Mr Winston asked them to talk to their seat neighbour. They should introduce themselves and tell each other what they had done during the summer holidays

“Bonjour, je suis Niall.”

“Salut, je m’appelle Harry.”

“So, what do you think Louis was on about?” Niall said mimicking a French accent.

“Je ne sais pas. It was really odd!” Harry replied with an equally ridiculous false French accent.

“Ya think it’s cos I’m on the footie team now?” Niall said this time without an accent.

Harry shrugged. “Probably.”

“I just hope he’ll behave when we play on the same team.”

“He’s the captain. He’s got to. And honestly, I think if there’s anything more important to Louis than bullying me it’s football. So, don’t worry too much. And if he’s being an arsehole the coach is still there as well.”

“I know, I’ll wait and see I guess.”

Since none of them had an explanation as to why Louis behaved strangely this morning, they had no other option than to just ignore it and wait for what is to come. Maybe they would eventually find out what Louis’ motive was.

During the rest of their French lesson, Niall and Harry half-heartedly did their exercises while occasionally talking about the most random stuff thy could think of. For example, what the school canteen serves this week, who might have gotten a girlfriend over the summer and why Mr. Corden always seemed to wear the exact same shirt every single day.

After French Harry and Niall had to go to separate classes and therefore Harry left Niall in the hallway where had already started a conversation with Jade. On his way to the next lesson, Harry ran into Louis. Of course.

“Watch where you’re going girlie!” Louis teased.

“Watch where you’re going!” Harry replied not in the mood to fight with Louis. The other students in the hallway started to suddenly walk really slowly or just stopped altogether. They were hoping to see a fight after they had been cheated on one the day before.

“Girls shouldn’t talk back,” Louis said getting visibly angry with Harry’s behaviour. His mates behind him snickered.

“First, that’s a very sexist point of view. And you shouldn’t be so sexist, don’t you have like four sisters? And second lucky I’m not a girl then.”

“That hair cut says otherwise,” Louis said gripping Harry’s curls and pulling him closer by his hair. “And don’t you fucking dare speak about my sisters you fucking arsehole” he whispered into Harry’s ear only for him to hear.

Then Louis buried his hand a little deeper in Harry’s hair And Harry was prepared to scream in pain except it didn’t hurt. Louis’ fingers scraped against his scalp in a swift motion without breaking the skin and then Louis untangled his hand from Harry’s locks without pulling on a single hair. If Harry wouldn’t have known any better, if he wouldn’t have known Louis, he maybe would have even called it caressing. But he knew Louis and so he was sure it must have been an accident that he hadn’t hurt him.

Because of Harrys run-in with Louis, he was too late for his Geography class. But Mrs Smith didn’t care anyway so it didn’t really matter. He slipped in a seat next to Jesy, one of Perrie’s friends, who was also part of the school’s theatre group.

She greeted him seemingly happy to see him.

“Hey, how are you?”

“Good, you?”

“Yeah, I’m good too. Why are you late? I thought you had French with Jade?”

“I did. I would have been on time but uh… I sort of… ran into Louis.”

Jesy rolled her eyes. “I’ve heard about the incident yesterday. He chased you down the hallway?”

“Yeah.”

“That guy is the biggest idiot ever. Can’t believe so many girls are into him.”

Jesy was right. Basically, every girl at the school has had a crush on Louis at one point or another over the past years. Still, Louis had only ever had two girlfriends. And according to them it always had been a very innocent relationship. Just kissing, maybe a bit of fumbling but never sex. That in itself was odd, since there were a lot of stories about people who either claimed to have slept with Louis Tomlinson or claimed to have seen or heard him and someone getting it of in the toilets, the locker-room, behind the gym, in the janitors closet. Almost everywhere. Louis himself however never brought it up and if you asked him, he would just dodge the question with a cheeky smile and a stupid comment. 

“Me either,” Harry said even though it was a lie.

Harry wasn’t blind he could objectively see why someone would be attracted to Louis Tomlinson. Louis was handsome. His skin was smooth and tan even in winter. He managed to make his soft brown hair look perfectly styled and at the same time naturally perfect. His body was lean and toned from playing football, but he wasn’t bulky or too muscly. And his face was pretty. Pretty perfect. Harry found most people had incredibly ugly noses, it was nearly impossible to have a nose that looked perfect. Louis however had one of those noses. But the most prominent feature were Louis’ eyes. His eyes were the reason why Harry never minded having a staring contest through the classroom, or the hallway, or the canteen. Whenever Louis assaulted Harry in the hallway when he least expected it, he always got lost in Louis’ eyes. Drowning in them, helpless and struggling for breath. That is until Louis hits him or yells at him. But the few seconds before that were always absolute pure and heavenly torture. Needless to say, Louis’ eyes were the bluest of blue and could only be compared to the most incredible wonders of nature, like the crystal-clear sky on a summer day and the deepest oceans.

And then there was obviously Louis’ character. He was a natural leader, the captain of the football team, class representative and basically the most popular boy in the entire school. He made everyone laugh with his stupid jokes and his ridiculous behaviour. But he was also clever. While it was common knowledge, he didn’t have the best grades he was still smart about most things. Very much to Harry’s annoyance who had impeccable grades.

Objectively, Harry hated Louis.

“Harry?” Jesy asked.

“Yeah?”

“I asked you if you have an answer to exercise three.”

“Sure,” Harry said pushing his notebook towards Jesy so she could copy his answer.

“Thanks.”

By the time the class was done with the exercises about the rapidly growing population and the effect on the global production of energy they only had three minutes left and Mrs Smith decided to let them go earlier.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!” 

“Tomorrow?”

“Theatre? You’re still doing it right?” Jesy asked?

“Oh yeah sure. Sure. See you tomorrow then.”

Thanks to Mrs Smith the hallway was still empty when Harry walked to his law class and he had finally time to take out his phone and check Grindr. He was happy when he saw Xander had texted him at three A.M.

_Xander: Sorry, for not replyng._

_Xander: Was busy. Work and then I had a friend ovrr ;)_

_Xander: Youre probably asleep._

And then another text at ten A.M.

_Xander: Morning, beautiful!_

Harry loved it when Xander called him beautiful or other pet names. It made him feel special.

_Ed: Good morning._

_Ed: Don’t worry. I’m happy to hear from you now. I’ve missed you._

Before Xander could answer Mr. Azoff walked into the classroom and told everyone to quiet down so he could start his lesson. Looking up from his phone Harry realised that he didn’t really know anyone in this class. Except for Liam. Louis’ right-hand man. Liam wasn’t actually a terrible person and he normally never participated in any of Louis’ pranks and attacks on Harry. Nevertheless, Harry and Liam weren’t exactly on speaking terms. If only because Liam, while not bullying Harry himself, didn’t do anything to stop Louis or the other lads from the football team from doing so.

Either way, Harry didn’t really mind that he knew nobody in this class. As long as they didn’t have to work in pairs, he sometimes even preferred to work alone without anything or rather anyone distracting him.

After half an hour Harry’s phone buzzed and notified him about a new Grindr message. Even though Harry knew Mr Azoff was very strict when it came to electronic devices in his classroom, he still took his phone to read the message.

_Xander: I missed you too._

_Xander: Fell asleep thinking of you._

_Xander: I can’t wait to meet you! ;)_

Oh yes, Harry was very much in love with this guy. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. That might be the person he would lose his virginity to. If Xander would still like him after they met Harry surely wasn’t opposed to that thought, even though they had never actually spoken about having sex. Or the fact that Harry was still a virgin for that matter.

Just when Harry wanted to text back Mr. Azoff said: “Harry?”

“Yes?”

“Are you paying attention?”

“Yes, Mr Azoff.”

“I do recommend you do. I won’t be this nice a second time.”

“Yes, I’m sorry,” Harry said apologetically and let his phone disappear in his backpack.

When Harry turned around, he saw Liam watching him intently. But as soon as Liam noticed Harry was looking back at him, he quickly looked down onto his papers and pretended to read something incredibly interesting. Harry tried to ignore it.

After what felt like an eternity the rest of the lesson had finally passed and Harry was done with school for the day and finally free to answer Xander.

Before he was out of the classroom, Harry already held his phone in his hand ready to text back only to think better of it. He didn’t necessarily want his classmates to see him text people on Grindr. It might be time for Harry and Xander to exchange phone numbers.

On the bus from school to his home, Harry got his phone out of his jacket again and opened the app.

_Ed: Sorry, I had class and couldn’t text back. On my way home now though._

_Ed: I can’t wait to meet you either._

Less than three minutes later Xander already texted back.

_Xander: Hey. Glad you’re done with school now._

_Xander: What do you do after?_

_Ed: How’s work today? Still on your duck assignment?_

_Ed: Idk. Normally eat and homework. I’m quite boring that way :)_

_Xander: Yeah, still on the assignment. Man, I didn’t know there are that many different ducks._

_Xander: I’m sure you’re a lot of things but never boring, babe ;)_

Harry stared on his phone endeared by the nickname and Xander’s reassurance he didn’t think Harry was lame. Louis always said Harry is lame and ugly and boring and uncool and a girl. So, it’s fairly understandable Harry was happy to be praised and complimented. Maybe that was part of the reason why Harry liked Xander. But there is no shame in that, right?

Harry and Xander texted back and forth until Harry had to get off the bus and then they kept texting the entire way to Harry’s house where he lived with his mum. Walking home with his eyes trained on the phone screen took Harry twice as long as usual but it didn’t bother him. As Harry entered the door Xander excused himself he had to go back to work but they agreed to text in the evening again.

Since Harry wasn’t hungry, he decided to immediately go upstairs and do his homework. Luckily, he only had one assignment in Law and another French exercise.

By the time Anne came home Harry was in the living room watching a re-run of an old Navy CSI episode.

“I’m home!”

“Hey, mum.”

“I brought Chinese. I hope that’s alright with you?”

“That’s perfect!” Harry said getting up to meet his mum in the kitchen.

“Haven’t you eaten anything for lunch?”

“Nah, I wasn’t hungry.”

Harry started to get plates and cutlery from the kitchen cabinets and laying them out on the table while Anne unpacked the food and placed it in the middle of the table.

“How was your day, love?”

“Good. School was okay, you know the usual.”

Anne nodded. She was already familiar with Harrys answer since he normally said the same every day. And still she asked him every time how his day was. Harry was glad she did though. It meant she genuinely care, and it gave him the reassurance that if he wanted to, he could always talk to her.

“How was your day in the hospital?”

Anne worked as a nurse in the local hospital, which meant Harry usually didn’t see her too much. When he was younger Harry was sometimes annoyed his mum wasn’t there for him when he came home from school. At least his sister Gemma was with him, but still, sometimes he had wished to come home to a ready-made dinner and a normal family. These days Harry had learned to appreciate what he had. His mum loved him and was always there for him when he needed her. But she had her own job and her own life and Harry thought that’s something to be proud of. So, he wasn’t too mad at Anne for often working late and missing dinner sometimes. Harry would never want another mum.

“Exhausting. It was a quite busy day in the emergency room and because of that everyone else was stressed. But my new colleague, Johanna, she really stood her ground. She’s good.”

Harry didn’t even have time to reply, his mum was already speaking again “Oh, and before I forget it. Robin is coming back a day earlier.”

Robin was Harry’s stepfather and Anne’s second husband. Harry liked Robin though and he seemed to make his mum very happy so he could never hate him.

“Oh. Why?”

“Apparently the thing they are working on was less of an issue than they expected and so Robin decided to come home early from his business trip.”

“Good.”

“I thought maybe we could have a nice family dinner on the weekend? If you’re not going to your dad that is.”

“Uhm I… I don’t know. I can’t go next weekend and… uhh, I haven’t thought about when I’m going to see dad really.”

“Why can’t you go next weekend?”

“I…” Harry suddenly realised that Anne didn’t know anything about Xander, and he would like to keep it that way. It wasn’t that Anne had a problem with Harry’s sexuality or that she was opposed to Harry dating, but Harry would like to keep this part of his life private. At least for a little while longer until he could introduce him as his boyfriend or something like that.

“I… have to meet Niall. I promised him.” Harry hated lying to his mum, but it was just a little white lie.

“Oh of course,” she smiled. “How is Niall?”

“Great. He just got into the schools footie team.”

“Good from him! But isn’t that terrible kid in that team too? What was his name? Tomlinson? Larry?” Anne asked furrowing her brows.

“Louis. Louis Tomlinson.” Harry nodded. “Yeah, he’s the captain.”

“He stopped bothering you, right?”

“Yeah.” If his mum only knew. If she only knew about the insults and beatings and his fingers in Harry’s hair and his smile when he taunts Harry and… yes Harry should stop thinking about Louis Tomlinson.

After that Harry led the conversation away from Louis and to less dangerous, more pleasant topics for the rest of their dinner.

Later he had a short chat with Xander, who didn’t have too much time because he still had to write an article. So, Harry ended up in bed early the second night in a row.

After a lot of tossing and turning Harry fell asleep dreaming of how Xander caressed Harry’s hair in the school hallway for everyone to see.


	3. Chapter 3

September 16th

Since Harry had gone to bed early again, he managed to wake up on time, have a shower, eat breakfast and prepare his lunch (for Louis).

Niall was already waiting for Harry in their English classroom.

“Hiya Mate. How was your night?”

“Good? How was yours?” Harry asked irritated.

“You know what I mean!” Niall replied.

“I really, really don’t. No.”

“So, you’re telling me you don’t talk to your boy toy, Xavier, every evening?”

“Xander and no,” Harry said turning bright red.

“Xavier, Xander, Xylophone. Whatever.” Niall rolled his eyes dramatically. “You’re telling me you don’t talk to each other on the phone and get off together?”

“No Niall! Why would we do this?”

“I don’t know cos he’s hot and you wanna shag him? Jeez Harry, how old are you?”

“Sixteen. What’s got that to do with anything?”

“I know how old you are, you twat!” Niall said trying his best to sound angry. “I just mean, I don’t know. It’s what me and the chick from Ireland do.”

“What chick from Ireland?”

Now it was Niall’s turn to be embarrassed. “Valerie, she’s an uh old friend of mine. We met again when I was there this summer and we kinda uh you know… hit it off with each other.”

“Oh my god, Niall how could you have kept this from me? Did you, you know, sleep with her?”

“Well, a gentleman never tells. But yeah.” Niall said grinning from ear to ear.

“Niall! I cannot believe you didn’t tell me.”

“Sorry,” Niall said grinning. “Anyway. It’s nothing serious. She lives in Ireland. I live here. It was like a summer romance.”

“But you’re still in contact?”

“Not really. Did it over the phone once or twice and chatted for a bit, but ultimately we’ve got nothing in common.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Nah, don’t be. She’s a real stunner. Glad I’ve had my first time with her.”

“I can’t believe my best friend isn’t a virgin anymore.”

“Your best friend can believe you’re still a virgin though.”

“Haha, funny.” Harry groaned, but a smile was working his way on Harry’s face.

“I used you,” Harry spoke up after Niall’s and his laughter had ebbed down. “as an excuse. I told my mum I’d have to meet you next Saturday. You know when I meet Xander.”

“Okay. You know, I’ll always cover for you petal.”

“I know. That’s why I love you!”

“I love you too, babe.”

Harry really had the best best friend anyone could ever have.

Sometimes Harry liked to fondly remember the day they had met for the first time. It was a Wednesday just like today. Only it was the second week of school already. The football try-outs had been last Friday; hence Niall was too late to try-out and the team was already full. That had also been the Friday when Louis had become team captain, which only added to his popularity. But Niall was unaware of all of this.

The headmaster, Mr Cowell, brought the new boy from Ireland to his new class and introduced him personally. The seat next to Harry’s was the only available one and so Niall sat down next to Harry after he was introduced. Halfway through class Niall tried to have a chat with Harry, which Harry tried to ignore. He didn’t want to get Niall in trouble before the school year had even properly started. Only a month later Harry would learn that Niall couldn’t care less about getting into trouble. In school or out.

After the lesson was over Niall asked Harry where he would find the classroom where he had his next lesson. Coincidentally, it was the same classroom Harry had to go to. Reluctantly Harry offered to walk with him. On their way through the school, they immediately ran into Louis (who had become even more insufferable now that he was the captain of the footie team) and his football mates.

“Hey, hey, new kid!”

Niall stopped short “You mean me? Name’s Niall.”

“Whatever. I hope you’re going to choose your friends wisely.” Louis sneered at Niall. His friend laughing behind him. “Right, Loser?” Louis said to Harry, while purposefully bumping into Harry with his shoulder. Luckily Harry had grown over the summer some more, so he was now as tall as Louis and Louis hit his shoulder rather than his chest. Sadly, that didn’t make the blow less painful. But at least Louis was annoyed by the fact that Harry wasn’t smaller than him anymore. Harry counted it as a win.

“Who was that? And what’s his deal?”

“Louis Tomlinson. He’s…like…popular. And a twat.”

“Yeah, I imagine!” Niall laughed. “What did he mean by ‘choose your friends wisely’, though?”

“He… He meant me.”

“What? How did he mean you?”

“He meant you shouldn’t be friends with me.”

“What the fuck?”

“He’s right though.”

“Why shouldn’t I be friends with you?” Niall asked now agitated.

Harry chucked without any humour. “I’m the school loser. Louis hates me. And he hates everyone who hangs around with me too much. You don’t want that.”

“I think, I can decide that for meself, thank you very much.”

“You don’t know Louis Tomlinson.”

“And you don’t know Niall Horan. Someone like him doesn’t scare me. And you can stop trying to convince me not to befriend you. It’s too late. You’ll see, you’re stuck with me now!”

After their next class, Niall joined Harry for lunch break, all thoughts about Louis thinly veiled threat forgotten.

As it turns out Niall did end up being right. Harry really was stuck with him and he couldn’t be happier about it.

Now, however, Harry was sitting in his psychology class, shuffling on his chair and nervously tapping his foot. Louis was going to enter the room any minute now. Niall has had a point: it was only the second time he was about to sit immediately next to Louis and he was already certain he couldn’t do this the rest of the school year.

“Think of the devil,” Harry thought to himself as Louis Tomlinson entered the room and made his way to their table in the back of the room. The position of the table made sitting next to Louis only so much worse. Back here Louis could annoy Harry all he wanted, and their teacher wouldn’t even realise. Maybe Harry could get Miss Gallagher to let them sit in the front?

“Styles!” Louis said as he slid on his chair.

“Tomlinson!”

“Had a good morning?”

Harry wondered silently why Louis was so nice to him.

“Why don’t you answer me, babe? Be a good little boy!” Louis asked in a concerned low whisper, his mouth close to Harry’s ear.

Harry’s heart stopped beating for a second. Louis never had spoken to Harry like this before.

“Yeah.” Harry managed to press out.

“Good, cos that’s about to change.”

When Harry turned his head, he saw Louis smirking devilishly at him and he knew his nice behaviour had only been to throw Harry off. And Harry had let his guard down.

“As I’ve said: There’ll be rules, so I don’t get infected with your fag bacteria”

“He’s lost it. He’s completely lost it. Fag bacteria? Had Louis Tomlinson become even more stupid over the summer?” Harry asked himself. But he obviously didn’t say that; instead, he said, “You do know that homosexuality isn’t an infectious disease, right?”

“Oh, I know. But I also know that you are in love with me. And I don’t want you to like… touch me inappropriately.”

“Are you fucking serious right now Tomlinson? Shut the fuck up you fucking arsehole! Sexual harassment is nothing you make fun of. And just for the record: I wouldn’t put my dick anywhere near you.”

Louis stared. Louis stared and said nothing. Everyone else in the classroom stared too. Ed stared at Harry, Zayn stared, everyone did.

“Oh, and also,” Harry said now quietly, “I’m not in love with you and I could never be in love with you because you’re not worth it.”

And Louis continued to look at Harry. But instead of the fierce rage, Harry saw in Louis’ eyes after he announced to the whole class that he would never shag Louis Tomlinson, his eyes now seemed dull and void of any emotion. Suddenly Harry felt bad. Despite their ongoing clinch Harry, for some reason, didn’t like to see Louis upset. Maybe it was because if Louis didn’t look happy, he looked absolutely devastated. It was as if there was no in-between. Just happy and bouncy Normal-Louis and disturbingly quiet and sad Louis.

“’M sorry, Lou!” Harry said, putting his hand under the table lightly on Louis knee, out of sight to anyone. Most people had stopped watching them anyway, only Zayn had his eyes still trained on the both of them.

“Fuck off,” Louis said shoving Harry’s hand from his knee.

They sat next to each other in silence, seven minutes still on the clock until the lesson would begin. After two minutes and twenty-three seconds, the silence became unbearable. “So much for comfortable silence,” Harry thought.

“What about those dumb rules?” Harry asked.

“Fuck off, fag,” was Louis’ reply.

Harry put his hand on Louis’ knee again. He wasn’t willing to sit beside Louis in silence only to get beaten up after school. Not talking to Louis was somehow worse than being insulted by him. After all those years their feud had become a constant in Harry’s life. And while it had caused him a lot of pain, both physically and mentally, it was also fun. Making Louis angry, seeing him agitated over something Harry had done or said. He had enjoyed it. Probably more than he should. So, no he wasn’t willing to give up on his chance to get some fun out of their enmity.

“My rule is that you shut the fuck up.”

“You know, I can’t do this.”

“Fine.” Louis turned his head and glared at Harry. “First: you stay in your fucking lane. That’s my half of the table and that’s yours.” To emphasize his words Louis gestured between his and Harry’s half of their shared table.

Harry felt as if he was back in kindergarten.

“Right. Ya don’t think that’s a bit childish?”

Instead of answering Louis just sneered. Neither of them acknowledged the fact that Harry’s hand was still resting on Louis’ knee.

“Second: You don’t fucking annoy me.”

“Jeez, Lou you’re annoyed if I breathe beside you.”

“Your ridiculous mop of hair annoys me.”

“Sorry, not everybody can look like a Disney prince. What’s the next rule?”

Despite the bickering, this was most likely the nicest interaction Harry ever had with Louis. While firing fierce reply after reply at Louis, Harry was still painfully aware of his palm pressing against the fabric of Louis’ jeans. His body heat warming Harry’s skin. At the same time, however, Harry didn’t even notice his hand was there. It was as if he was supposed to touch Louis like this. Harry tried to ignore it and he also tried to ignore the thoughts starting to form in his head. Did Louis not notice his hand? Surely, he must feel it there. So, why didn’t he move it? Shove it away before Harry’s ‘fag bacteria’ contaminates him. Unless… No. No, Louis simply didn’t notice. Maybe the nerves in his knee where damaged from playing football.

“The next rule,” Louis said with an annoying grin etched on his face, “is my lunch. Where is it?”

Harry rolled his eyes. “I have it with me, relax.”

He started to have fun though. Talking to Louis like that was easy and comfortable, just lads bantering back and forth. It was a bit like talking to Niall. So, Harry decided to be a bit bolder, to annoy Louis a little more. After all, he was relatively save in the classroom with just two more minutes until Miss Gallagher would walk in.

“What do you need it for anyway? Doesn’t your mum make you lunch in the morning, huh?”

Louis’ head snapped around so fast Harry nearly fell backwards with his chair.

“You disgusting little whore. What is it with you and the women in my family? You’re a fag. A dirty little poof. You wanna shag men. So, stop talking about my mum and my sisters. They wouldn’t want you anyway because they hate fags like you.”

Staring open-mouthed at Louis Harry furrowed his brows trying to think of a logical answer. He had obviously hit a nerve. Maybe he should find out more about Louis’ sisters and his mum since that seemed to be a very sore topic for him.

“I wasn’t trying to… I was… I…,” Harry stuttered.

“And the last rule,” Louis said, now with a hard expression on his face and looking straight ahead, “never ever touch me ever again.”

With that, he placed his surprisingly soft hand on Harry’s which was still on Louis’ knee. After a moment’s hesitation, as if he didn’t want to let go, he shoved Harry’s hand away.

“I don’t wanna touch you anyway,” Harry said a bit more cocky than necessary. He decided he might as well give Louis his lunch right now, before Louis got a chance to rough him up after class. Because Harry was sure Louis would get back at him for embarrassing him in front of the entire class.

With unnecessary force, Harry shoved his lunch package in Louis’ chest. Louis took the brown paper bag without hesitation and peeked inside.

“Good boy. I see you’ve learned your lesson.”

Harry willed his face not to betray any emotion. Louis could never know he secretly didn’t hate to be called a good boy.

“Or should I say, good girl? With that hair, you surely look like one.”

This morning Harry had had time to tie a scarf around his locks to keep them out of his face, therefore it shouldn’t be really noticeable how long his hair had become. But since the day before Louis obviously had developed a foible for teasing Harry with his hair. Either way, Harry chose to ignore Louis’ comment and continued to stare straight ahead, mirroring Louis.

Finally, the door opened, and Miss Gallagher walked into the room, Liam trailing behind her. As he took his seat Liam threw a knowing glance at Louis, but Louis just continued to stare at the table avoiding any eye contact.

The lesson itself passed surprisingly fast and without any disturbances from Louis. Only once he rammed his elbow in Harry’s side and then tipped his pen to the paper repeatedly, signalling to Harry he wanted to copy his answer. Harry let him. He might as well get used to it now.

Afterwards, Louis got up without acknowledging Harry at all. Only when he started to walk towards the door where Liam was waiting, he stopped and seemed to think better of it.

“You know,” Louis said, leaning so close to Harry only he could understand what he was saying, “I’ll get my revenge on you for that shit you pulled earlier. If I were you, I’d be more careful in the future.”

When Harry looked up to meet Louis’ eye, he was smiling at him. It was a maniacal grin which didn’t reach Louis’ eyes. Somehow, he looked terrifying and Harry was sure his vengeance would be terrible too. And then Louis just left, leaving a stunned and slightly terrified Harry behind in his seat.

“So, you just told Louis Tomlinson you won’t fuck him. Mate, that’s just sick.”

It was Zayn who stood in front of Harry smiling down on him.

“Yeah and he just swore his revenge for that.”

“Well, that isn’t surprising. You basically embarrassed him in front of the whole school.”

“I know.”

“And add to that the thing in the canteen on Monday.”

“I know.”

“I’d say, Louis didn’t have a good start in the school year.”

“I know.” Harry huffed, walking beside Zayn towards the canteen. “I also know on whom he’s going to take out his anger.”

“I don’t get it, though. You’re so nice to him all the time. I mean seeing how he treats you. You’re way taller than him by now. If I were you, I’d just kick his arse.”

Zayn was right. Harry had grown over the summer and was now taller than Louis and broader too. Back in year ten Harry wouldn’t have stood a chance against Louis. Louis was older, taller and more athletic. While the latter was probably still true, Harry was now old enough himself, so the two years age difference didn’t really matter anymore.

“I’m a pacifist. And also, it wouldn’t do me any good. He’d just send his ghouls after me.”

Zayn shrugged. “Maybe you’re right.”

By now they had reached the school's cafeteria and sat down at one of the tables furthest away from the football table where Louis already sat with Liam. His lunch, or rather Harry’s lunch, was in front of him, ready to be eaten.

“You got lunch with you?”

“No. I’ve gotta buy something. But I’m waiting for Niall.”

“Okay.” Zayn carefully placed his lunch on the table. Some sort of chicken wrap with avocado. Harry would love to take something like that to school too. But there really was no point in trying.

Someone suddenly hit Harry on the back forcefully. For a split-second Harry though Louis had come over to their table. When he turned around it was only Niall standing behind him with a huge grin on his face.

“You told Tomlinson you wouldn’t suck his dick. I am so proud of you! What I would have given to see his face oh man. I bet he looked so fucking angry. This is the best thing to ever happen!”

“I didn’t say that. At least not like that. How do you know anyway?” Harry asked slightly embarrassed. Zayn was snickering behind Harry's back.

“Literally the entire school knows, Harry.”

“Shit.” Harry quickly threw a glance at Louis table on the other side of the room. Louis’ mates were laughing and being their usual dumb selves. Louis didn’t seem as amused as usual though. Harry had a hunch why.

“You’re like super famous now,” Niall said sitting down next to Harry.

“I don’t want to be famous and especially not for that.”

“Now tell me what happened?”

“In a bit. Let us get something to eat first.”

Niall groaned overdramatically. “Food. Who needs food when you just destroyed Tomlinson?”

“Maybe you should have chosen Drama, considering how overly dramatic you can be.”

“Haha. I mean it, Harry!”

“Okay, so you wanna spend the rest of the day without having had lunch?”

Niall seemed to contemplate what Harry said for a moment. “Yeah, you’re right. Maybe I was being a drama queen. You can tell me while we wait for our lunch. Zayn is up to date anyway I assume, since you have that class together?”

“You assume right. I’ll wait for you here.”

“Thanks,” Niall said and pulled Harry towards the serving counter in the back of the room.

“I see you’re warming up to Zayn.”

“I just thought if you’re going to hang around with him now, I’ll have to befriend him too.”

“You’re the best friend anyone could ever ask for. And you’ll always be my best friend.”

“Yeah, cos you won’t find anyone better, babe.”

The queue for the food was pretty long since Niall and Harry were later than usual. Four people in front on them Stan, Liam and two other lads from the footie team were waiting in line too. They had their heads stuck together and talked quietly. Harry was unable to make out what they were talking about. Only the occasional glimpse towards their team table gave Harry the idea they might be talking about Louis. 

“So. Your story.” Niall interrupts Harry’s thoughts.

“There isn’t much of a story…”

“Whatever. Just tell me what happened.”

Harry groaned. All of this was so stupid, childish even.

“First he was super nice asked me how my day was and such. I thought he might have fallen on his head. But obviously he was just trying to annoy me and then he started to say something about rules and my ‘homosexual bacteria’.”

“Man, he’s a bit mental. In' he?” Niall intervened.

“Mhm. So anyway he started talking about me sexually harassing him and like what the fuck even?!” Harry takes a deep breath and continues. “And he said that he knew I was in love with him.”

Niall laughed out loud. “Good one. You in love with Tomlinson. Sure. Ya think he’s on drugs?”

“No. I think he just wants to annoy me.”

Niall looked at Harry with a thoughtful face but didn’t say anything, so Harry picked up his story where he left off.

“Anyway. That got me so angry, the harassment part not the in-love part, that I started screaming at him. I honestly don’t even know what I said. Like I just told him to fuck off and in the end, I said that I wouldn’t have my dick anywhere near him. So, I didn’t per se say I wouldn’t like... shag him.”

“Harry, mate I love you but that’s exactly what you said. And I’m so proud of you.” Niall looked absolutely overjoyed Harry had to admit.

“What happened then?”

“Then it was your turn to get your food.”

Niall’s head whipped around and shocked he noticed they made it to the end of the queue.

After both, Niall and Harry got their bangers and mash (which looked like they had been lying in the sun for three days straight) they went back to their table where Zayn was patently waiting, his wrap still untouched.


End file.
